As Health Director for the Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO), Health Department, Marvia develops, plans and implements strategies aimed at measurably improving the health and quality of life for all Kansas Citians and minimizing threats to healthy workplace culture. She works to ensure that public health priorities align with community needs and oversees development of policies and guidance documents aimed at ensuring the health and wellbeing of KCMO residents.

Marvia has held two previous positions with the KCMO Health Department. From November 2020 to February 2022, she managed the Division of Community Health and Education, whose work involved COVID-19 response, quality improvement, violence prevention and community outreach, as well as a $10.5 million budget including grants through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the Office of Minority Health. Prior to that, she served as Violence Prevention and Policy Manager where she collaborated with leadership, funders and community stakeholders to establish the Department’s public health approach to the prevention of violence and trauma, ensuring that concepts of economic and racial equity, dignity and systemic change were centered in all policy-related functions.

Marvia has a B.S. in Chemical Science from Florida State University. She earned her Masters of Public Health in 2012 and her PhD in Behavioral Psychology in 2015, both from the University of Kansas. She has served on the KCMO Public Schools Board of Directors since April 2019.